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(092112)

Intelligent Design is Blasphemy

Says Dr. Francisco Ayala!

THE
EVENT

On
the evening of March 23, 2006, Dr. Francisco Ayala, along with his wife (Dr.
Hanna
Ayala)
spoke before an assembly of members of the American Association
for the Advancement of Science (AAAS; widely known for its publication of
Science magazine). The evening presentation was more an informal event
where both Dr.s
Ayala spoke of their professional experiences and current activities.

THE ISSUE

Of note were the comments of Dr. Francisco Ayala with regard
to the teaching of evolution in public schools. Dr. Ayala is a well
known
biologist with
academic interests in genetics and evolution. He also proclaims to
have a theistic side
and some studies in theology. What becomes clear however is a propensity
among some scientists to state evolution is a fact—more than
a theory.

The rejection of biblical
literalism becomes full grounds to say church and state must remain separate
and schools must teach evolution. But most are unaware of why the United
States originally was founded with the principles of a separation of
church and state.
This has nothing to do with scientific evidence or misguided assumptions.

Perhaps what
we might fear is a 'scientific literalism' that prevents thinking about
all the implications of the scientific data. Dr. Ayala also wants us to
believe
that any discussion of the topic of intelligent design is pure religion.
The hot button word of the day always seems to be an emotional rejection
of something
called creationism. But if he is referring
to an old school of thought, then he is likewise putting up a smoke screen
to avoid the direction
in which
discussions on intelligent design lead
us.

NOTE: Before you read and digest all that Dr. Ayala is quoted to say below ... we wish to draw your attnetion to a glarring problem that even Dr. Ayala did not see. Here is an example of an intellect "seeing what he wishes" when evidence to the contrary is starring him in the face! Dr. Ayala crticizes intelligent design by citing the imperfections of the human jaw and its 'poor evolutionary history,' and yet he did so by not citing the mist powerful example FOR intelligent design. His wife! Sitting opposite Dr. Ayala is a representation of the most complex design, the female human reproductive system, that itself depends on cascades of events, hormones, and developmental sequences to orchestrate the delivery of a new human being. The jaw is nothing by comparison to the complexity of human reproduction.

[ NOTE:
You can opt to hear Dr. Ayala's words for yourself. The sound
recording is sufficient
to verify what you will read below. The recording comes up in a separate
browser window - listen while you read here!]

Dr.
Ayala's Own Words:

“…
there are so many misunderstandings in this effort, first, to try and keep
evolution out of the schools, and second to trying to introduce creationism
or now the current version which is intelligent design, which bothers me because
of course it’s not science, it bothers me because it’s very bad
religion. First let me say why we have to teach evolution in the schools. Evolution
is now the unifying concept of biology. Evolution is the unifying concept of
biology. You cannot teach biology without teaching evolution. Now biology and
biotechnology is one of the important places of technological and natural development
in this country, we need … to train them in science, need to train them
in evolution, because it’s the only way we are going to link biology
and biotechnology. …and also understand the world in which we live,
including the world of bird flu and all the other diseases which are
really only understandable
in the context of evolution.

"So they don’t want evolution being taught in the schools because
it seems to contradict the literal interpretation of the Bible, this account
of Genesis,
now most … theological … most people have written about … they
realize the Bible is not a book about biology, nor a book about cosmology
or about physics. And it amounts to blasphemy to understand the work of
physics
or biology by reading the bible; this is not the purpose of the Bible. … about
religion and to teach religious truths, moral truths.

So, it’s a travesty to interpret the Bible in that way. Be that as we
may, we have in this country separation of church and state in the public schools. … The
most recent judicial decision concerning intelligent design, December 20th,
[2005] the court of Judge Jones in the District of Dover, Pennsylvania,
he wrote a 439 pages long decision

[speaking of Judge Jones in his December 20, 2005 Dover PA court decision]

“… he points out that the utter misunderstanding of the proponents
of intelligent design and the members of the school board in seeing a contradiction
between the teaching of evolution and religious beliefs. As he states in
the decision, many witnesses here testify to show evidence that there is no contradiction
in religious beliefs and the teaching of evolution. So, it is very unfortunate
that these people are trying to introduce, as it were, through the back door,
the teaching of religion in the schools. And when you use the concept of
intelligent
design, you have, forgive me now for using some strong words, you have a
consequence of intelligent design [that] amounts to blasphemy.

"Because organisms are not intelligent designed. We are incompetently and
incontrovertibly designed by what natural selection does. Natural
selection in response to the
environment improves the adaptation of the organism through the environment. … those
things that happen to function better ... in a particular environment
are favored ... they are what get multiplied … that’s how
we acquire eyes to see and … natural selection does not start
with a conceived design, it’s just a step by step movement of
adding one thing after as a result of adaptation of the organism … trial
and error process.

"So, what happens as a consequence … to take an example the human
jaw. You know we don’t have The jaw is not big enough to fit all
our teeth. So we have the wisdom teeth removed. Even after removing the
wisdom
teeth,
we still have to go through operations [inaudible phrase] … [exclaims]
Designed by God? (as if to say the jaw’s apparent imperfection
cannot be designed) The kind of God that monotheistic religions
such as
Christianity, Islam, and Judaism is suppose to be an intelligent being,
a benevolent being,
an omnipotent being ... any engineer in my university who would have
designed a jaw [like that] would have been fired the next day. [laughter] …

"Again, it’s perfectly understandable in light of evolution."

[next Dr. Ayala gives the example of the human brain and cites enlargement
comes by a step by step process over time and further that the ‘jaw
had to catch up’ in size as the brain enlarged. Some how
there seems a disparity between the development of brain and jaw
to warrant the conclusion that design
is not in the picture. The rationale here then justifies an evolutionary
point of view. (Editor note: Of course,
this is to forget the complexity and enormous
leap of faith one takes in assuming the brain is simply a product
of chance or a trial and error process that ‘seeks’ a
higher ordered structure with greater mental function.)]

Scientific Blasphemy!

Dr. Ayala then depicts individuals who are proposing a theory based
on intelligent design as ‘Creationists’ and that their support for evidence for
design, even by the scientific evidence, amounts to “… blasphemy.
These people with the best of intentions, are trying to introduce blasphemous teachings in the schools.”

Dr. Alan Leshner noted that it is interesting to use the term blasphemy,
especially coming out of the mouth of a scientist. He asked if Dr. Ayala
has any credentials
to support using such a term. Dr. Ayala’s response reflects concerns
for what is taught in the schools and noted that: “I have an advanced
degree in theology as well.”

(NOTE: But no clarification was given as to what
that degree is or what position that may engender when interpreting scientific
information. What is the depth of one’s faith, especially when the
degree is cited without a profession of faith! No one wanted to ask. This
issue was
left unqualified. How is one to discern the value of this presentation without
further information!)

Dr. Leshner then reflected on the concept that Dr. Ayala is an example for “science
and religion to live together comfortably” and that in the U.S, and around
the world we are now experiencing a “tension between science and religion.” Dr.
Leshner further explains a desire to show how science is not in opposition
to religion, but furthermore reveals in his own words a reluctance to entertain
the discussion that includes a deeper look at what intelligent design offers.

Dr. Ayala continued with a reluctance to engage in the discussion on design
and explains science’s role is to “explain the world of nature
as a consequence of natural laws and testable by observation” and then
he stereotypes the intelligent design proponents on the basis
of religion and not as individuals who have a scientific vantage
point. Dr. Ayala then
refers
to Judge Jones’ decision and what was stated therein.

THERE
IS MORE TO THIS!

... NOTE:
We invite you to read the court’s
decision (<here as a PDF 312kbytes)
as well as to read a response to the decision in the form of a 125
page book published under the
title “Traipsing
into Evolution.” (book link)

The contrasts between these two documents is
unmistakable and no one
would want public education
to suffer
the consequences of bias or faulty logic. If you explore the
facts to the circumstances, the testimonies in the courtroom and the
evidence
not considered, you will be incensed, and you
will know why the issues will one day make their way to the Supreme
Court!

In fact, when the court's
decision was released, USA
Today (<PDF file 177k) contrasted
issues to the point of saying (paraphrasing the newspaper): Let the
students read the court
decision and let the kids ask questions to decide what is relevant.
Let the students hear
the
arguments
and
investigate
the issues. Novel idea! More over, read the book shown on
the right to see more of the real implications to having a 'level
playing field'
for the truth.]

LISTEN - WE DIDN'T
MAKE THIS UP!

You may wish
to agree with Dr. Ayala or Dr. Leshner. You can hear the entire
dialog here and
consider for yourself why Dr. Ayala’s response to
intelligent design has to be characterized as emotional. If the Dover ,
PA, court decision
is flawed, then ask why Dr. Ayala and others want that decision to stand.
Ask why proponents of intelligent design think there is more to the issues
than
what the court considered.

Simply calling intelligent design “blasphemy” is an emotional
response and a mere distraction from the scientific
underpinnings of the theory put
forth for comparison to Darwinian macro-evolution.

Dr. Ayala indicates the proponents of intelligent design are ‘fundamentalists’ and
that they are always changing their tactics to support a cause. He then cites
previous court rulings based on cases that have nothing to do with intelligent
design. He pits religion against science, even
here, after Dr. Leshner has stated AAAS wishes to take a middle ground and
not pit science against
religion. Dr. Ayala is furthermore saying proponents
of intelligent design would exclude teaching of evolution from the schools.

[NOTE:
But anyone who has followed the topic of design knows that teaching intelligent
design along
side of
evolution has
been encouraged! Why? Simply to illustrate weaknesses in Darwin's theory
and to consider alternatives. Dr. Ayala may chose to ignore this point,
that is his prerogative.]

To hear Dr. Ayala speak, is to hear one rationalize the former ‘creation
science’ offered for consideration in the courts some decades ago with
the current theory on ‘intelligent design.’ What he forgets to
observe is that the data or evidence used in the former approach and in the
present theory on intelligent design is entirely different. This is
not a modification of tactics, it’s an adoption
of the scientific evidence of the day.
Scientific advances and the level of complexity we can see in the data is
what in fact
supports the design theory, not religion.

Dr. Ayala closes by saying that proponents of intelligent design are few, they
repeat the same things over and over, that they know something is wrong with
what they say, and really its all about selling books. Really? Have you seen
the number of publications that have been put to the presses? Have you read
any of these titles?

To say there are ‘dubious intentions’ and to excuse the proponents
of design is mere rationalization. Ayala is preaching to an eager scientific
choir. So, in this venue, why not find agreement. However, if design carries
any weigh of the evidence, the evidence itself will carry design.

In a final attempt to show that evolution is a fact, Dr, Ayala
criticizes Dr. Behe, a proponent of design, a Ph.D. biochemist (not
biologist) for an
unwillingness to see how the scientific literature proves evolution
with respect to the immune system. He characterizes Dr. Behe as not
being
persuaded by the
evidence. But there is no analysis as to why Dr. Behe takes his position.
This is character assassination without analysis of the evidence offered
in the
courtroom or with no opportunity for another academic to explain an opposing
position. The choir loved it.

Leshner and Ayala further reflected on how intelligent design is not published
in academic and peer reviewed journals. They didn’t tell about the
resistance to publish intelligent design articles by the scientific community,
nor did
they tell of the bias against research in this area. The choir was unaware.
And by the way, there are many books and a number (yes, only a few at present)
of journal articles that actually support or test the concept of design.
'Old-school back pressure' on doing this type of new research only makes
Dr. Ayala’s
criticism a cheap shot.

We invite you to visit another web page listing
of publications that describe the details to Intelligent Design. Yes,
intelligent design is a new concept to many. The number of publications is
growing rapidly even
during the infancy of this expansive new theory.

Writer / Editor: Dr. T. Peterson, Director,
WindowView.org

(090212)

For a general listing of books, visit the WindowView Book Page for: Science and Scripture .

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